The true sign of a successful day of bass fishing is what I call “bass thumb”. Here is a picture of a bass thumb, though I wish it came out a little more clear:
Largemouth, smallmouth and striped bass have tiny little teeth, which end up being like sandpaper on your thumb. The proper way to hold a bass is by the mouth (not overextending it though), so as not to wipe the slime off their body.
Since you pick up a bass by the mouth and it is like sandpaper, the more fish you catch, the more your thumb gets scuffed up… thus “Bass Thumb”!
I generally catch and release all largemouth and smallmouth bass, and handling them by the mouth does not hurt or harm them at all. However, besides snapping a picture or two, my other favorite way of remembering the fish is to look at my thumb for the next week or so until the bass thumb disappears!
Good luck getting your own bass thumb!
Brian
